Bookbinding machine



April 28, 1925.

l G. lsLlKER-BRAUEN BOOKBINDING MACHINE Filed Mag ll, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 28, 1925.

Go'rrrninn rsLrKnR-Baaoniv, or Bandeau, sfr. GALLEN, SWITZERLAND.

` BooKBrNDiNG MACHINE.

Applicaiipnmea May 11, 1922. serial No. 560,074.

To all 'whom t may concern:

Be` itknown that I. Go'r'rrnmn IsLiKER- BRAUEN, a `Swiss citizen, and residing at Bruggen, St. Gallen, Switzerland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bookbinding Machines, of which the fol-v lowing is a specification.

My invention .has reference to improve; .ments in book bindingmachines Vand relates more particularly to a device for operating on `the folded and stitched signa-tures for the purposeof twisting together' the loose thread ends protruding in alined rows from the folds of the gathered signatures. The device is especially suitable in the binding of brochures, pamphlets andthe like, which at present generally are handled in 'a stitching ata-tachment of the folding machine. The loose ends of the individual stitches in l the prior art are simply 'glued to the back of the booklet and are then very apt to work loose again causing the respective signatures to become unfastened.

`The object of the `present invention is to improve this rather primitive fastening method byV twisting the protruding thread ends of the alined signature stitchings about one another into rope-like formation just prior to gluing, which then effectively prevents them from becoming undone. Furthermore, by operating on the two ends of each stitch in opposite sense, the stitches are drawn taut again just prior to being glued down, which makes for a very tight binding. The work done on this relatively simple stitch twisting` machine is practically equal to that of ahigh-priced complicated stitching machine. f Y

My invention will `best be understood when describedinconnection with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the new twisting machine with a series of booklets set up on the work table;` Figuih istrates i the left end of the work table with its supporting upright; Fig.' 2 is an end e1evation, `partly in section, of the machine with thework feedingunit removed; Fig. 3 is a side view, partly in section, of the twisting mechanism proper, of which Fig. 4; is a fragmentary kplan view; Fig. 5 shows `a lever mechanism for controlling the work feed;"Figs. 6. 7 and 8 are side lviews lof "variously shaped twisting tool heads; Fig;

9 shows the back cfa plurality of folded and stitched signatures, with the thread ends in each row twisted about each other and a stiffening thread which is fed forward through the hollow twisting tools; Fig. 10 shows the twisted rope format-ion on a larger scale; Fig. 11 is a fragmental vertical section through the twisting mechanism proper, showing onebook finished, the secondjust being glued, and the third about to be operated on by the twisting tool.

Standards 1, 21 and 32 support the several machine parts.` The workita'ble 20 with its adjustable lateral `cheeks 24.` is carried by the upright 21 (Fig. 1") `and the short support 4. The twisting unit proper is supported by lateral carrier members 2 and 3, and the work feedingfunit is supported on the base 31 above the standard 82. The supports 2 and 3 respectively carry plates `5 and 5' (Fig. 2) each provided with two identical slots 6 (Figs. 3 and 4c). The numbei' of plates 5 (5') depends upon the sizeof the machine and the number of rows `of stitchings effected by the preceding stitching operation. As showmby way of eX- ample, two such slotted plates 5 are used. which makes the machine adapted for use in connection with` a two-row stitching inachine, asshown in Fig. 9; For each such, slot 6 there is provided a twisting instrumentality,` each comprising a spindle 7 (7'. 7", 7 to the lowerend of which a toothed wheel 12V (12', 12", 12") is secured (Fig. 2) and to the upper end a collar 10 (Figs. 3 and 11). The wheels 12 and 12', and 12" and`12"' respectively are in mesh. To the wheels 12 and 12" are secured pulleys 120 (Fig. 3). In the support brackets 13 and 13', respectively extending from the supports 2 and 3, are mounted the'shaft 14: with pulleysl and the rod 15 which serves as thread guide and is provided with guide perforations 115 (Fig. lf).4 Blocks of wood covered with a layer of feltor siu'iilar material 56 are arranged in the slots 7 and serve to comb or brusltbackthe thread ends. protruding from the superimposed book backs, in the direction `of the arrow in Fig. 11.

The` twisting members, which are preferablyin the form of hollow tubes, are journaledfin ball `bearings 8 and 9 and can be rapidly rotated in suitable manner, for inshaft `17 which` is driven over the pul1ey19 i Gti and to which are iixed the pulleys 18, 38 and 34. An endless rope 58 runs over the pulley 18, the pulleys 1G on shaft 14, and over the pulleys 120, causing` the sev-eral twisting tools to rotate rapidly with uniform speed, but with the two tools of each connected pairl running in opposite directions.

rllhe upper ends of the twisting tubes are shaped to engage in their rotation the lloosely dependingthread ends for twisting them together. The tube end 112 (Fig. S) shows hook-shaped prongs 113; he tube end 112 in Fig. 6 presents pointed teeth 113, and -in Fig. 7 a wire spiral 111 is placed partways over the tube end, and it is this latter arrangement which is shown in operative position in Figs. 3, 4L and 11, as specially suitable for the intended purposes.

n a machine bracket 22 are mounted bobbins 23, 23', 23 and 2U, whose respective 'threads 60, (SO, GO and 60 are passed through the guide bores 115 in shaft and then up through the hollow-twisting tubes .with their front ends drawn out -to a length of about 1 inch on the plate 28 forming part of 'the work table and sunk a little below the table level. Between the supports 2 and 3 are rotatably mounted in brac r-ets25 and 25 (Fig. L1) the glue roller pairs 62, 62 and 26, 26', the latter preferably circumferentially recessed to receive the smaller glue applying rollers G2 and 62 respectively. IThe larger rollers dip below into the glue receptacle 29, suitably heated, for instance by an electric heating device lll. rlfhe gluing rollers 62 and 62 extend through corresponding slots in the plate 28 (Fig. 11) to nearly the-level of the work table surface.

The workfeeding unit comprises the base 31 supporting.bearings 85and'35 in which is horizontally mounted the inwardly threaded sleeve 36in which is longitudinally displaceable the screw spindle 37. @n the sleeve is rotatably mountedl a small pulley 13 with a clutchhalff-ld for the backward feed of 'the screw spindle, and the larger pulley li2 with a. clutch half 415 for its forward feed. Af clutch member 16, axially displaceable on the sleeve 36, but secure-d there on against relative rotary displaeement by means of a` key and feather arrangeinent 541-, can be yalternately coupled with the clutch halves i-.4 and 15. The pulley 13 is driven from the main shaft pulley 38 and the pulley 4-2 from pulley7 Se. On the front end of the screw spindle 37 `is mounted the pusher plate 3S `from which extendsrearwardly the rod 39 on which are adjustably mounted-the stop collars 40 and 11.

A,forkedlever 48, pivoted at t9-to afiXed machine part, is connected on the one, hand to the clutch member 16 by the trunnions L1T and e7", and on the other hand by the fitting 53 to the rod 39. For securing the forked lever 48 `temporarily in the respective end positions there is provided a lever 50, fulcrumed at 51 and cooperatingwith the upper end of the lever 48 by the interposed roller 52. A draw-spring tends to keep the roller in operative contact with the lever end.

'The operation 0f the described mechanisms is the following: The folded and stitched signatures .forming the units are set up on the feed table with always a spacing member 63 between each `two units, the rearmost unit in close contact .with the pusher plate SS'and'the first unit justbackofzthe felt covered plates 56 inthe-slots G. The feeding mechanism vis then starte-d by moving the lower end of the forked lever `4,8 towards I (Fig. which causes the-.clutch member Mito `coupl-e-in the pulley 42. vThis causes forward feed (arrow in Fig. 1) Iof the spindle 37 with the attached pusher plate 38, whereby the row'of booklets is moved forward, theunits passing` iirst over the felt plates 26, whereby thelloosethread endsf depending from the signature folds are brushed back againstione another (Fig. 11). During the further advance of each unit the twisting tools, thespirals 111, seize-the thread ends andltwist them about one anotherand at the same time about the stitfening` thread 60 vissuing through :the twisting tubes. rlhe result isa tight twist, and as, in the constructional arrangement illustrated, the meshing wheels of=each twisting unitrevolve in opposite directions, th-e one tool operating on thefone end and the other tool on the other endiof the .stitch threads, the stitches will be` additionally.drawntaut thereby.

The twisted unit. is steadily fed :forward and passes over thefgluing device where the ytwists are glued byroming in contact with the glue applyingirollers 62 and (32. The unit having been pushed beyond the gluing-device-the stiilening threads (30, GO', 60 and 60 are severed and the ends of the stiifening threads .issuing from the twistingtubes lare drawn out. again the required length .to be laidA out on theplate 28:11u' the ensuing :twisting operation.

ln Fig. 9 isshown .diagralninatica-l|y'the back olal booklet having been stitched with twoi'ows of stitches therows a andi, and the rows c and d marking the ends of the respectivev stitches.

Obviousy, only. one row of stitches or more than two,:as shown, may be used, in which instances-only two or more than --1 thread twisting units mustbe provided; and it is also ,possible toobtain a satisfactory result by dispensing `with the stitfening thread fedv through the hollow` twisting tool, ifa simple and cheaper machine. is Wanted.

As soon as the last unit Gl'has arrivedin EGO position 61 (Fig. Il.) the collar 41 contacts with the fitting 53, when they forked lever 48.

. will be laid over toward II (ass'hown in dotted outline in Fig. 5). This uncoiiples the forward drive and couples the clutch member 46 with vthe clutch half 44 which throws in the return drive of the screwspindle to quickly return the latter into the initial position of Fig. 1. Thecollar 40 is so adj usted that on its `contact with the fitting 53 the forked lever 48 will be vactuated just enough to move the coupling member 46 into the neutral position, when the spindle will remain at rest. A new series of booklets is then set up on the work table and the operation started over again.

\ That I claim is 1. In a machine for twisting together the thread ends depending from the folds of stitched. signatures, ay twisting instrumentality for each row of alined thread ends, coii'iprising a revolubly journaled twisting `spindle presenting a thread seizing head,

and means for rotating said twisting spindies in unison.

2. In a machine for twisting together the `thread ends depending from the folds of stitched signatures, a twisting instrumentality for each row of alined thread ends, comprising a revolubly journaled axially perforated twisting tool presenting a thread seizing head, and means for rotating said twisting tools.

23. In a machine for twisting together the thread ends depending from the folds of stitched signatures, a twisting instrumentality foi' each row of alined thread ends, comprising a rotary twisting spindle and a wire spiral axially extending therefrom and designed for seizing the thread and twisting them together in the sense of the spiral convolutions.

4. In a machine for twisting together the thread ends depending from the folds of stitched signatures, a twisting instrumentality for each row of aliiied thread ends, comprising an axially perforated rotatable twisting spindle and for each suchV spindle means for feeding a stiffening thread axially therethrough to be intertwisted with the stitch thread ends.

5. In a machine for twisting together the thread ends depending from the folds of stitched signatures, a twisting unit for each row of stitch thread ends, each unit comprising two rotatable twisting tools, one of which operates on the one row of 'depending thread ends and the other one of which operates Von the other row vof depending thread ends in the same iowof stitches, and means forrotating the two twisting tools in each unit in relative opposite directions. 6. In a machine of the character set forth, in combination with a work table presenting i slots, in each slot a rotatable twisting tool and thread brushing means ahead of each twisting tool to properly present the thread ends to the `twisting tools.

7. In a machine for twisting and gluing together the thread ends depending from p table and for returning said pusher plate into the initial position at a predetermined period and for then automatically arresting the machine operation, said twisting instrumen talities and said work feed mechanism allbeing operated `by said main drive.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GOTTFRIED ISLIKER-BRAUEN. Witnesses F RANK FIMMKE, WM. G. STONER. 

